Gastrointestinal sleeves can be used to treat obesity or diabetes. To keep the sleeve in place, an anchoring device is needed. Anchoring can include stents or conventional surgical techniques, such as sutures, staples, surgical adhesives, and others. At least some anchoring devices use an interference fit, placing an implant device having a relaxed diameter larger than the diameter offered by the intestine. Other anchoring devices may include barbs that are adapted to penetrate into the surrounding muscular tissue of the gastrointestinal tract.
Often, these gastrointestinal sleeves, due to the complex structure of the anchoring device, may not be removed without damaging surrounding tissue, unless by resection.